Tiny Habits have released a new song called "Love Ruins Everything", and I did not expect this track to sound quite like this. The group is known for these gorgeous vocal harmonies and fairly delicate folk-pop arrangements, but this song basically walks into the room wearing sunglasses and a glittery suit.

There is a very strong disco and soul influence here. We get bass, drums, keyboards, guitars, trumpet and saxophone, and somehow the arrangement still does not feel cluttered. I am always a sucker for horn sections when they are used tastefully, and the little brass moments throughout this song add so much personality.

The groove immediately reminded me of Earth, Wind & Fire. I am not saying Tiny Habits suddenly sound exactly like Earth, Wind & Fire, because they absolutely do not, but there is a similar feeling of everything moving together. The bass pushes the song forward while the horns and vocals decorate everything around it. If this comes on while you are cooking dinner, I believe there is approximately a zero percent chance you remain completely still.

Obviously, the vocals are still one of the highlights. Tiny Habits consist of Cinya Khan, Maya Rae and Judah Mayowa, and their voices blend beautifully. There is something about tight three-part harmony that just sounds expensive to me. I cannot explain why. You can have an enormous production with fifty instruments, but three people singing the right notes together can somehow sound even bigger.

The subject of the song is also quite funny. It deals with that grass-is-always-greener feeling surrounding relationships. When you are single, you want somebody. Then you fall in love and suddenly start missing your independence. Then everything falls apart and you wonder why you ever wanted love in the first place. I think most people can probably relate to at least one part of that cycle.

Doing some research, this track was produced by Benjamin Millman and features an impressive group of musicians across the rhythm section, guitars, keyboards and horns. You can hear that musicality in the final product. There are plenty of instruments here, but everybody seems to understand when not to play. That is very important. Adding another instrument does not automatically make a song sound bigger, and sometimes leaving a little space is exactly what makes everything else hit harder.

Their new album Keepers seems to represent quite a significant expansion of the Tiny Habits sound. Their earlier music often lived in a much quieter folk-pop world, whereas this track feels confident enough to properly groove. I love hearing artists discover that they can change the surroundings without losing what made them interesting in the first place.

"Love Ruins Everything" is colourful, groovy and extremely musical. The harmonies are beautiful, the rhythm section feels fantastic, and those horns are exactly my cup of tea. This might be my favourite of the five. Go and give it a spin!

Author: Peter Källman

Peter Källman is a writer from Sweden who loves playing in bands, writing reviews and going to live shows!